Khan survives Maidana

By Julio Thyme
13/12/2010

WBA super lightweight champion Amir Khan (24-1, 17 KOs) won a twelve round firefight against WBA interim super lightweight titleholder Marcos Maidana (29-2, 27 KOs) on Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. It looked like an early night when Khan dropped Maidana with two hellacious body shots at the end of round one. Khan punished Maidana further in round two, but the rock hard Maidana kept coming. Maidana was the aggressor in round three applying heavy pressure. Maidana was deducted a point by referee Joe Cortez for throwing an elbow in round five. Maidana was relentless and found a home for his uppercut in round seven. Khan rallied in the eighth as his speed and ring movement allowed him to avoid exchanges. Maidana got to Khan in the tenth and battered him all over the ring. It was a battle of attrition in the eleventh with fighters both having their moments. Maidana desperately went for the knockout in round twelve, but Khan weathered the storm. Scores were 114-111, 114-111, and 113-112.